A main performer in the London Olympics Opening Ceremony studies as an exchange student at the University of Oklahoma VIDEO: Cassi Toney, 2:08

An exchange student at the University of Oklahoma with no dance training performed as a lead dancer in the 2012 London Olympics Opening Ceremony.

 Dhruv Rupapara, originally from India, auditioned for the ceremony with friends in London, but he said he never believed he could pass the auditions with no formal dance training.

Rupapara performed as one of the 10 men performers in the Thanks Tim Family section of the ceremony, which included tributes to British popular music from the 1960s to 1980s. At the end of the segment, Tim Berners-Lee is thanked for creating the World Wide Web for everyone.

Danny Boyle, an Academy Award-winning director, served as the artistic director for the opening ceremonies. As a lead dancer, Rupapara was able to work directly with Boyle. Rupapara said Boyle was always friendly and personal even though he was busy directing about 1,400 performers.

Most of the 7,500 perfomers at the opening ceremony were volunteers in order to make the ceremony feel more authentic and save money on the budget, according to Rupapara. He said although he did not receive any money, the production team treated the performers like celebrities.

Rupapara first auditioned in fall 2011 and began practices in February. According to the official website of the 2012 London Olympics, the average adult volunteer performer practiced for 150 hours. 

Rupapara said the team he practiced with became a family. He said he and the team wanted the experience to never end. He said the experience has made him much more confident as a performer and excited to live life to the fullest.

Because Rupapara came to OU before the Olympics were finished, he said he was not able to experience the Olympic excitement in London as long as the other performers.

Rupapara said the experience changed him in many ways, but it mostly made him fall in love with London even more.